“There are mixed emotions I suppose. You don’t really know if you’re happy or sad. With 15 minutes to go we were well out of the game and when injury-time was up we felt we had the lead,” he said.

“It was the strangest game ever. I was more out of the goal than I was in the goal for two or three minutes. It was strange. We just have to put the heads down for the next three weeks, drive on and prepare for another final.”

For Cork boss Jimmy Barry Murphy, the draw was a fair result after a final dominated for long stages by the Clare men.

“I thought we might have knicked it in the end. I don’t think we would have deserved it on the day because Clare were outstanding and we struggled for lots of the game. But the lads showed great spirit and fantastic character to come back,” he said.

“I thought a draw was a fair result. We didn’t play well in the first half in particular. Clare were very, very good and were a step or two ahead of us.”

Kildare Players Want McGeeney
THE Kildare players have called for Kieran McGeeney to be re-instated as their manager after he was axed by just one vote at a County Board meeting last week.

A statement from the senior Kildare squad said, “The players feel that our County Board has let us down greatly throughout this process and our manager has been treated with a complete lack of respect and loyalty following his six years at the helm. Kieran’s reputation was frequently impugned at times by comments made over the past few weeks.

“We believe that the County Board Management Committee should have used the powers available to them to reappoint Kieran McGeeney as senior football team manager for 2014 in accordance with their own wishes and those of the players.

“In not doing so they abdicated their responsibility and must accept much of the blame for the situation that the county now finds itself in.

“Our ultimate wish is that last Tuesday night’s decision is overturned and that negotiations are immediately opened with Kieran McGeeney to reinstate him and his management team for 2014.”
Former Kildare player Glenn Ryan is favorite to replace McGeeney after Kerry trainer Cian O’Neill ruled himself out of the running.

GAA Shorts : O’Connor On the MendMAYO boss James Horan has confirmed that star forward Cillian O’Connor could be fit for the All-Ireland final against Dublin as he recovers from a shoulder injury aggravated in the semifinal win over Tyrone . . .

WATERFORD fans celebrated their first All-Ireland minor title in 65 years with a 1-21 to 0-16 win over Galway in Sunday’s final . . .

FORMER Cork hurler Setanta Ó’hAilpín has been released by his Aussie Rules club Greater Western Sydney . . .

ANTHONY Daly has agreed a deal to remain on as manager of the Dublin hurlers for 2014.